The fact that introverted people do better on these tests is fascinating, Mr Gollwitzer said:

“It could be that the melancholic, introverted people are spending more time observing human nature than those who are busy interacting with others, or they are more accurate at introspection because they have fewer motivational biases.

Either way, though, this demonstrates an unappreciated strength of introverts.”

Being a good natural psychologist stems from having a more accurate view of oneself and of others, the researchers found.

Mr Gollwitzer said:

“These ‘natural’ social psychologists, because they better understand social phenomena, may be able to interpret and even predict social changes in our society — maybe they are exactly what is missing from our current governance and positions of power.”